Dental instrument



2+ i wIrHMMM WMIMIWUL@ sept 11, 1928.

Patented/l Sept. l1, l1928. v

. y *1,684,143 y :'*UfN'lTED STATES PATENT #orma- 1 oscn n. rmrnn. ANDcnam-:s n. nEITzLEn, or nocH'EsTER, NEW Yong, AssIGNons TO OSCAR H.PIEIER AN D ALPHONSE F. IEIEIER, BOTH 0F ROCHESTER, NEW -YOBK i ,DENTALINSTRUMENT.

OurY invention relates to dental instruments and. particularly' toinstruments utillzmg 'electrlccurrent and adapted for interchangeable-application to a supporting handle .which also'carries` switch mechamsm'for 'contro1ling the current flow` to the-supported yinstruments."

ture. 'f f l y Another important object of the invention is to adapttheconcentric-'terminal members for directly supporting variousinstrument' points and for holdingthe points in adjusted vthe points.

position, one of the terminalmembers form# ing a receiving andsupporting stud for the pointsA and the other conductor forming aconcentric socket foraliging and gripping' The above and other featuresof the invention are incorporated in the structureshown on the drawingsin which Figure V1 is a side elevational view of the instrument andhandle structure with partof the handle structure in diametricalsection;

. and f Fig. 1.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on plane 2-2 of The instrument body comprisesthe conducting and terminalrod 10, the sleeve contact and conductormember 11 concentric with the rod 10, and the tubular plug member l2concentricwith the rod, these parts being all of metal.. These metalyparts arel rigidly supported and ,electrically` insulated from .eachother by suitable insulating material 13 such as synthetic resin knownto the trade as bakelite The insulating material forms a head orgrippartf14, the inner end of the tubular plug 12 beingfirmly imbedded inthe head part of the sleeve contact member being radially expanded. atrifle at the head Appnomon niedneeengber 1s, 192s. serial no. 155,149.

ceiving the tubular 4body 16 of the detachable i tip member, the vend1Q' of the conductor 10 engaging 1n a sleeve 17 within the tip tube 16,this sleeve being secured to but insulated from the tube by cementitiousor other marial 18, the tube and sleeve bein movable as a'whole. Aheating loop or filament 19 -is soldered at one end to the tip tube 16vand at, 1ts other end to a pin 2O extending from the sleeve 17.Preferably the tube 16 is cut away onv the bias to form the pen shapedend 21 to which the filament is soldered. When the ment respectivelywith the conductor sleeve 11 and rod. 10. p

The end 10` of the rod 10 is preferably threaded and also the sleeve 17internally, the tip being then more securely held in place. To insuregood contact between the tip tube and the contact sleeve 11,- the end 16of the tip tube` is slightly tapered so that when the tip is applied bythe screwing' engagement of the sleeve y17 and rod 10 the tip end will'wedge into the end 11 of the contact sleeve 11 and will not only make agood electrical connection but will also lock the tip in any desiredposition. To facilitate manipulation and application of the tip, it isprovided with the knurled zone 22.

vThe plug, tube 12 serves to secure v the instrument' to a suitablehandle structure while the ends o f the rod and sleeve 11 extend be-AAyond the plug tube for connection with terminals on the handlestructure connected with an electrical current supply source. We haveshown a handle structure fully disclosed in the co-pending applicationof Oscar H.

Pieper, Serial No. 136,501 tiled September 20, 1926. Within the tubularshell 23 of this handle structure are the terminal strips 24 and 25insulated from eachother by insulating material 26. At its upper end theterminal strip 24 has the terminal socket 24 for receiving the end ofthe contact sleeve 11 of the instrument structure. The plug tube 12 ofthe instrument structure engages in the .throat 27 of the shell 23 abovewhich throat is the longitudinally split neck 28 threaded on itsoutside. vAcollar 29 of insulating material has the metallic bushing 30which is threaded to receive the neck 28.l Within the neck is a splitsleeve 31 whose upper and, lower ends are beveled. t0 @Operate Atipmember is applied to the 'body member ,c `of the instrument, the tubeand sleeve parts 16 and 17 thereof will be in electrical engage- 70 withthe beveled surfaces 32 and 33 of the bushing 30 and throat 27respectively. When an instrument has been applied to the han-v dlestructure the collar 29 is turned to draw it down on the neck 28 and toabut the beveled surfaces or sl1oulders32 and 33 against the beveledbushing 31 so that this bushing is contracted to securelygrip the lugtube 12 o f the instrument structure. W enit is desired to remove thestructure, the. collar is unscrewed a distance to release the clampingbushing whereupon the instrument may be readily withdrawn. In the handlestructure the terminal member 25 is bent to form a switch blade 25 whichis normally sprung away from the contact rod 10 of the insertedinstrument but which may be bmught into electrical engagement with therod by means of the button 33 which extends through the sleeve 34 andthe slot 35 in the shell 23, the sleeve with the button being thusslideable on the shell. When sleeve 34 is in the lower position shown,the switch blade 25V will be disconnected from the contact rod 10 unlessthe button 33 is depressed. However, when the sleeve is shiftedupwardly, the button will engage with the switch blade to shift it andtohold it in electrical engagement with the terminal rod 10.

After an instrument body is applied to the handle structure the desiredtip can be apf plied to the body part and rigidly secured by thethreaded engagement with the contact rod l0 and securely locked inadjusted position by the wedge engagement between the tip and thecontact sleeve 11. The concentric contact rod and sleeve which areintimately imbedded in and' insulated by the insulating material form avery rigid structure which structure is reinforced by the plug tube 12and the insulating head or grip part 14.

We claim as follows:

1. In a dental instrument, the combination of a body part and a tip,said body part comprising a central contact and terminal rod, acontactand conductor sleeve concentric with said rod, insulating materialsupport ing said conductor members and insulating them from each other,said conductor sleeve at its outer end forming a terminal socket,

said tip comprising a body part having plug engagement in said socketand a terminal sleeve for said tip for receiving the end .of saidconductor rod, and a heat generating member 'connected to said tip frameand sleeve, the outer end of said body part conductor sleeve and rodbeing adapted for connection with circuit terminals.

2. In a dental instrument structure, the combination of a conductor andterminal rod,

l a terminal and conducting sleeve concentric with said rod butinsulated therefrom and forming a plug receiving socket around one endof said rod, a tip having a tubular body forming a plug for engaging insaid socket, a sleeve within said plug insulated therefrom and adaptedto receive said rod, and an electn'c current operated element connectedto 'said tip bod and sleeve. f

3.v In a ental instrument structure, the combination of a sup orting andconnecting body and a tip, said ody comprising an innerconductor andterminal member and an outerconductor and terminal member concentrictherewith, said conductor members being insulated from each other, saidtip comprising a body member having plug engagement in the end of saidouter contact member and a terminal sleeve for electrical engagementwith said inner contact member, and an electric current operated elementconnected to said plug body and sleeve.

4. In an electrical dental instrument structure, the combination of abody part comprising inner and outer electrical conductors concentricand insulated from each other, said conductors at one end being adaptedfor engagement with circuit terminals, the outer member at its other endforming a socket around the inner member, a tip member having plug fitin said socket and having an inner sleeve insulated therefrom andadapted for connection with the inner terminal member,` and an electriccurrent operated element connected with said tip body and said sleeve.

5. In electrical dental instrument structure, a body of insulatingmaterial, electrical conductors in the form of an inner rod and aconcentric sleeve sup orted by said insulating body, said rod antfsleeveat one end being adapted for connect-ion with an electrical circuit,said sleeve at its other end forming a. socket around the rod, a tipcomprising outer and inner terminal members, said outer terminal memberhaving plug lit in said socket and said` inner terminal member beingadapted for engagement with said rod, and an electric current operatedelement connected with said tipterminals.

6. In an electrical dental instrument strucf' ture, the combination lofa conductor rod and a conductor sleeve concentric therewith, insulatingmaterial between said rod and sleeve and surrounding said sleeve to forma head, a

. plug tube secured in said head and extending `forming a socket aroundthe adjacent end of said rod, said adjacent end being threaded, a tipstructure comprising a tubular body having plug engagement in saidsocket and a sleeve member within said plug member having threadedengagement with Said rod,

and an electric current operated element connected with said plug memberand sleeve.

8. A tip structure for electrical dental instruments comprising atubular body having its end cut away on the bias to form a point,

ysaid body forming a terminal plug at one end,

an inner terminal member secured to but insulated from said tubularbody, and an electric current operated element connected to said innerterminal and said point.

9. In an yelectrical dental instrument structure, the combination with aterminal socket and a terminal rod extending axiallytherein and threadedat its end, oiga. tip structure comprising an outer plug for engaging insaid socket and an inner element insulated from said plug element andadapted for-threaded engagement with said terminal rod, "and an felectric current responsive element connect l ed with said tip plug andinner terminal part.

In Witness whereof, We hereunto subscribe our names, this 13th dayofDecember, 1926.

OSCAR H. PIEPER. CHARLES R. MEITZLER.

